Zanzou Ex-Shareholder Distances Himself From the Club As Issues of Noncompliance Emerge

• As the Zanzou saga unfolds, a former shareholder shared his experiences with the establishment on social media
• The club's woes were compounded after videos of staff members viciously torturing a group of men surfaced
• The City of Tshwane also found that the club did not comply with various municipal bylaws, and South Africans were not surprised

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PRETORIA — As the walls around Zanzou close in, a former shareholder distanced himself from the club after videos of three men who were tortured went viral. The government also found that the club was non-compliant.

What did the ex-shareholder say?

Zanzou's troubles began when the video which depicted gross human violations being committed on its premises in 2023 went viral on 17 February 2025. Following the leaking of the videos, the club immediately distanced itself from it and revealed that the bouncers who were responsible for the incident were axed. It assured the public that it followed due process and employed another security company.

Read also

Pick n Pay investigates Centurion franchise branch closed for noncompliance

Posting on his @KMalatji X account, Katlego Malatji also distanced himself from the harrowing incidents that took place at the club. He shared an email which he sent to one Neo Moela on 5 July 2023, the same year the incidents took place. In the email, he announced that he was terminating his involvement in the Zanzou partnership and offered his shares up for sale.

What problems did Zanzou face?

Malatjie said he had been attempting to address the issues plaguing the establishment for two years since 2021. These include management training of staff, labour compliance in human resource practices, better pay and work culture for employees, transparency, strategic management and accountability.

Malatji accused his former partner of treating him with great disdain and disrespect, excluding him from business decisions. He also said that his share of the profits was paid irregularly. He also implied that his business partner was availing himself of risks and dangers which aren't worth any amount of money the club generated.

Read also

Johannesburg Police arrest Congolese national in connection with Zanzou case, SA demands more action

"I am disheartened to learn of the harrowing incidents that occurred at Zanzou. I have exercised no control over the business since the end of 2021 and formally left the business in 2023. I trust the legal process to take its course and pray healing upon all victims involved," he said.

View the X tweet here:

Noncompliance issues

According to Eyewitness News, Tsheane's MMC of Health Tshegofatsho Mashabela said the security company which the club appointed did not comply with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). Mashabela slammed the company, which also did not comply with the city's zoning bylaws.

What you need to know about Zanzou

• The South African Police Service confirmed that three cases have been opened against the owner of the establishment after the videos depicting the violence went viral
• The MK Party visited the premises on 18 February and they stopped Zanzou's truck from collecting stock and equipment from the establishment

Read also

L’vovo slams brutality at Zanzou club, urges celebs to speak out: "Those acts were barbaric"

SAPS arrests Babel restaurant owner

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the South African Police Service arrested three people including the owner of Babel Restaurant in September 2024. this was after allegations of labour malpractices surfaced against it.

A former employee posted a video accusing the establishment of forcing them to buy uniforms, not giving them contracts and fining them for broken glasses. South Africans saluted the cops for making the arrests.

Source: Briefly News